Life can sometimes produce fascinating, extraordinary coincidences. Here are a few of the most amazing ones:

Henry Ziegland thought he had dodged fate. In 1883, he broke off a relationship with his girlfriend who, out of distress, committed suicide. The girl’s brother was so enraged that he hunted down Ziegland and shot him. The brother, believing he had killed Ziegland, then turned his gun on himself and took his own life. But Ziegland had not been killed. The bullet, in fact, had only grazed his face and then lodged in a tree. Ziegland surely thought himself a lucky man. Some years later, however, Ziegland decided to cut down the large tree, which still had the bullet in it. The task seemed so formidable that he decided to blow it up with a few sticks of dynamite. The explosion propelled the bullet into Ziegland’s head, killing him. (Source: Ripley’s Believe It or Not!)

Joseph Aigner was a fairlly well-known portrait painter in 19th century Austria who, apparently, was quite an unhappy fellow: he several times attempted suicide. His first attempt was at the young age of 18 when he tried to hang himself, but was interrupted by the mysterious appearance of a Capuchin monk. At age 22 he again tried to hang himself, but was again saved from the act by the very same monk. Eight years later, his death was ordained by others who sentenced him to the gallows for his political activities. Once again, his life was saved by the intervention of the same monk. At age 68, Aiger finally succeeded in suicide, a pistol doing the trick. His funeral ceremony was conducted by the same Capuchin monk - a man whose name Aiger never even knew. (Source: Ripley’s Giant Book of Believe It or Not!)

When Norman Mailer began his novel Barbary Shore, there was no plan to have a Russian spy as a character. As he worked on it, he introduced a Russian spy in the U.S. as a minor character. As the work progressed, the spy became the dominant character in the novel. After the novel was completed, the U.S. Immigration Service arrested a man who lived just one floor above Mailer in the same apartment building. He was Colonel Rudolf Abel, alleged to be the top Russian spy working in the U.S. at that time. (Source: Science Digest)

Mark Twain was born on the day of the appearance of Halley’s Comet in 1835, and died on the day of its next appearance in 1910. He himself predicted this in 1909, when he said: “I came in with Halley’s Comet in 1835. It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it.”

In the 1920s, three Englishman were traveling separately by train through Peru. At the time of their introduction, they were the only three men in the railroad car. Their introductions were more surprising than they could have imagined. One man’s last name was Bingham, and the second man’s last name was Powell. The third man announced that his last name was Bingham-Powell. None were related in any way. (Source: Mysteries of the Unexplained)

In 1975, a man riding a moped in Bermuda was accidentally struck and killed by a taxi. One year later, the man’s brother, riding the very same moped, was killed in the very same way by the very same taxi driven by the very same driver -- and carrying the very same passenger.

Twin brothers Jim Lewis and Jim Springer were separated at birth and adopted by different families. Unknown to each other, both were named James, both owned a dog named Toy, both married women named Linda, both had a son they names James Alan, and both eventually divorced and got remarried to a woman named Betty.

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, and John Adams helped to edit and hone it. The Continental Congress approved the document on July 4, 1776. Both Jefferson and Adams died on July 4, 1826 -- exactly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

A German mother who photographed her infant son in 1914 left the film to be developed at a store in Strasbourg, but was unable to collect the film picture when World War I broke out. Two years later she bought a film plate in Frankfurt, over 100 miles away, and took a picture of her newborn daughter -- only to find, when developed, the picture of her daughter superimposed on the earlier picture of her son. The original film, never developed, had been mistakenly labeled as unused and resold.

In 1858, Robert Fallon was shot dead by fellow poker players who accused him of cheating to win a $600 pot. None of the other players were willing to take the now unlucky $600, so they found a new player to take Fallon’s place, who turned the $600 into $2,200 in winnings. At that point, the police arrived and demanded that the original $600 be given to Fallon’s next of kin -- only to discover that the new player was Fallon’s son, who had not seen his father in seven years.

In the 19th century, the famous horror writer Egdar Allan Poe wrote a book called ‘The narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym.’ It was about four survivors of a shipwreck who were in an open boat for many days before they decided to kill and eat the cabin boy whose name was Richard Parker. Some years later, in 1884, the yawl, Mignonette, foundered, with only four survivors, who were in an open boat for many days. Eventually the three senior members of the crew killed and ate the cabin boy. The name of the cabin boy was Richard Parker.

In 1930s Detroit, a man named Joseph Figlock was to become an amazing figure in a young (and, apparently, incredibly careless) mother’s life. As Figlock was walking down the street, the mother’s baby fell from a high window onto Figlock. The baby’s fall was broken and Figlock and the baby were unharmed. A year later, the same baby fell from the same window, again falling onto Mr. Figlock as he was passing beneath. Once again, both of them survived the event.

In 1973, actor Anthony Hopkins agreed to appear in “The Girl From Petrovka”, based on a novel by George Feifer. Unable to find a copy of the book anywhere in London, Hopkins was surprised to discover one lying on a bench in a train station. It turned out to be George Feifer’s own annotated (personal) copy, which Feifer had lent to a friend, and which had been stolen from his friend’s car.

In Monza, Italy, King Umberto I went to a small restaurant for dinner, accompanied by his aide-de-camp, General Emilio Ponzia-Vaglia. When the owner took King Umberto’s order, the King noticed that he and the restaurant owner were virtual doubles, in face and in build. Both men began discussing the striking resemblance between each other and found many more similarities.
1. Both men were born on the same day, of the same year (March 14, 1844).
2. Both men had been born in the same town.
3. Both men married a woman with same name, Margherita.
4. The restaurateur opened his restaurant on the same day that King Umberto was crowned King of Italy.
5. On the 29th July 1900, King Umberto was informed that the restaurateur had died that day in a mysterious shooting accident, and as he expressed his regret, an anarchist in the crowd then assassinated him.

While American novelist Anne Parrish was browsing bookstores in Paris in the 1920s, she came upon a book that was one of her childhood favorites -- Jack Frost and Other Stories. She picked up the old book and showed it to her husband, telling him of the book she fondly remembered as a child. Her husband took the book, opened it, and on the flyleaf found the inscription: “Anne Parrish, 209 N. Weber Street, Colorado Springs.” It was Anne’s very own book.

Are these instances merely coincidence, or are they something more? It all depends on how you look at it. All that can be said- believe it or not!

_________________Completely sane world
madness the only freedom

An ability to see both sides of a question
one of the marks of a mature mind

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, and John Adams helped to edit and hone it. The Continental Congress approved the document on July 4, 1776. Both Jefferson and Adams died on July 4, 1826 -- exactly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Love the list. One nit pick item however—the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4 with the signing taking place much later.

Wikipedia Article wrote:

After its adoption by Congress on July 4, a handwritten draft signed by the President of Congress John Hancock and the Secretary Charles Thomson was then sent a few blocks away to the printing shop of John Dunlap. Through the night between 150 and 200 copies were made, now known as "Dunlap broadsides". The first public reading of the document was by John Nixon in the yard of Independence Hall on July 8. One was sent to George Washington on July 6, who had it read to his troops in New York on July 9. A copy reached London on August 10. The 25 Dunlap broadsides still known to exist are the oldest surviving copies of the document. The original handwritten copy has not survived.

On July 19, Congress ordered a copy be "engrossed" (hand written in fair script on parchment by an expert penman) for the delegates to sign. This engrossed copy was produced by Timothy Matlack, assistant to the secretary of Congress. Most of the delegates signed it on August 2, 1776, in geographic order of their colonies from north to south, though some delegates were not present and had to sign later. Late signers were Elbridge Gerry, Oliver Wolcott, Lewis Morris, Thomas McKean, and Matthew Thornton (who, because of a lack of space, was unable to place his signature on the top right of the signing area with the other New Hampshire delegates, William Whipple and Josiah Bartlett, and had to place his signature on the lower right). As new delegates joined the congress, they were also allowed to sign. A total of 56 delegates eventually signed. This engrossed copy is now on display at the National Archives.

Three delegates never signed. Robert R. Livingston, a member of the original drafting committee, was present for the vote on July 2 but returned to New York before the August 2 signing. John Dickinson, a member of the Continental Congress from Pennsylvania, was against separation from Great Britain and labored to change the language of the Declaration of Independence to leave open the possibility of a reconciliation with Great Britain. Thomas Lynch voted for the Declaration but could not sign it because of illness.

What do you expect- leave it to a historian to nit pick the exact truth out of someones attempt to seem profound.

So how old were the founding fathers when they fomented terrorism in America? If they were like 25, were they not just young men? I read somewhere that at that time the people were much more educated about politics and reason than they are now. For them to be that mature at such a youthful age suggests they were better prepared to make serious decisions than they are at that age in the present time.

Perhaps they were idealists who's moral compass could easily be
influenced. Were the founders rich or aristocrats as well in America before the revolution?

_________________Completely sane world
madness the only freedom

An ability to see both sides of a question
one of the marks of a mature mind

Adams died in his 90's so they were likely in their 30s and 40s. Remember that people married in their teens back then.

_________________"If the people allow private banks to control their currency the banks and corporations will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." - Thomas Jefferson

So how old were the founding fathers when they fomented terrorism in America? If they were like 25, were they not just young men? I read somewhere that at that time the people were much more educated about politics and reason than they are now. For them to be that mature at such a youthful age suggests they were better prepared to make serious decisions than they are at that age in the present time.

Perhaps they were idealists who's moral compass could easily be influenced. Were the founders rich or aristocrats as well in America before the revolution?

Jefferson was 33 when writing the Declaration; Adams was 40 at the time. A cursory glance at their respective biographies would say that Jefferson was the intellectual superior but that Adams made up for it with his zeal and hard work.

Yes, the members of the Continental Congress were all what we would consider rich and aristocrats. They were the best educated. They could afford to leave their businesses and home life unattended for long periods. Many lost their personal fortunes during the Revolutionary War never to regain them. When the Constitution was written the age requirement (35) for President assured the framers that only educated and wealthy white men would hold the office. Members of the Electoral College were by design only the rich, the poor could ill afford to take trips to the Capital for voting. Senators were not elected by popular vote until 1912; prior to that, state legislatures did the picking.

The Declaration of Independence was written to show the thought process behind leaving the mother country. In a very real sense, it was written to show that they were not terrorists but desperate men left without alternative. That being said; almost all favored independence because their taxes were too high under England.

A polymath, Jefferson achieved distinction as, among other things, a horticulturist, statesman, architect, archaeologist, paleontologist, author, inventor and founder of the University of Virginia. When President John F. Kennedy welcomed forty-nine Nobel Prize winners to the White House in 1962 he said, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent and of human knowledge that has ever been gathered together at the White House — with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

Adams, a sponsor of the American Revolution in Massachusetts, was a driving force for independence in 1776; Jefferson called him the "Colossus of Independence". He represented the Continental Congress in Europe. He was a major negotiator of the eventual peace treaty with Great Britain, and chiefly responsible for obtaining the loans from the Amsterdam money market necessary for the conduct of the Revolution. His prestige secured his two elections as Washington's Vice President and his election to succeed him. As President, he was frustrated by battles inside his own Federalist party against a faction led by Alexander Hamilton, but he broke with them to avert a major conflict with France in 1798, during the Quasi-War crisis. He became the founder of an important family of politicians, diplomats and historians, and in recent years his reputation has improved.

_________________“I'm not a member of any organized party. I'm a Democrat.”-Will Rogers

I don't see how the 35 year old age requirement assured that only wealthy white men could be President.

John Adams is possibly given too much credit, Sam Adams..not enough. Sam was the Senate President for a long time as I recall.

Alexander Hamilton was an agent for the European central banking powers. That is probably why history shows portray him as being absolutely brilliant, he married into central banking. Here is an interesting piece on the Adams vs Hamilton feud: http://odur.let.rug.nl/~usa/B/hamilton/hamil36.htm

As for the State Legislatures picking Senators, that may have some advantages over the media doing it. I think it is still possible for wealthy Congressman to get elected without the power elite backing them. Senators may be a different story. Elections are a circus. I am disgruntled, of course, with these puppets we have in Congress.

I'm not trying to be adversarial, just my perspective on these jewels. I was named after John Adams (thats my name) though more related to Samuel Adams. That and 60 cents will buy me coffee at McDonalds.

_________________"If the people allow private banks to control their currency the banks and corporations will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." - Thomas Jefferson

It`s certainly wise to be disgruntled these days, usually precludes down right ornery. Doubt is our best friend. The read about the feud was real interesting- oh the games of power manipulating they play don`t change much- about the early days of American government.

Wasn`t John Adams the first to enact a patriot act

_________________Completely sane world
madness the only freedom

An ability to see both sides of a question
one of the marks of a mature mind

I'm afraid that history does show Adams to be a bit of an elitist. I'm a much bigger fan of Jefferson but I keep in mind that most men lacked a traditional education at that time.

What kind of citizens will the next generation brought up on a steady diet of junk food and video games be?

_________________"If the people allow private banks to control their currency the banks and corporations will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered." - Thomas Jefferson

I don't see how the 35 year old age requirement assured that only wealthy white men could be President.

That and 60 cents will buy me coffee at McDonalds.

Life expectancy outside the elite was only about 35 years old. If one had lived much past 35 it was a pretty good chance one was part of the elite. The elite at the time meant rich white men.

You can still get coffee for a mere 60 cents?

Purple Tang wrote:

I'm afraid that history does show Adams to be a bit of an elitist. I'm a much bigger fan of Jefferson but I keep in mind that most men lacked a traditional education at that time.

What kind of citizens will the next generation brought up on a steady diet of junk food and video games be?

Adams was a graduate of Harvard College (not yet a University). Jefferson graduated from the College of William & Mary. Both entered college at the age of 16. This was the best education available to colonists. I don't know what other "traditional education" they could have had.

The junk food of today's generation is probably going to let them live long lives. The diet of video games, reality TV, and spoon fed news will have them living it in blissful ignorance. I think this is why the NeoCons fear and deride a "Liberal College" education so much.

_________________“I'm not a member of any organized party. I'm a Democrat.”-Will Rogers